AMD
and Raza Microelectronics have announced a new strategic partnership. The new
strategic partnership will transfer AMD’s Alchemy processor product line to Raza
Microelectronics, or RMI. Alchemy processors are MIPS processors typically used for
embedded products such as the Jack PC and various handheld devices. Raza
Microelectronics is a fab-less semiconductor company (FLSC) that produces a
line of MIPS processors. With the new partnership Raza Microelectronics will
take over the complete product lineup while AMD becomes an investor in Raza
Microelectronics.

After
the transfer is complete AMD’s processor lineup will consist of all x86
compatible processors (Geode, Athlon, Opteron, Sempron, Turion) while Raza
Microelectronics will expand its MIPS processor lineup with the new Alchemy
acquisition.

Atiq
Raza, Raza Microelectronics chairman, added "RMI endorses AMD64 as
the innovation platform for the industry, and fully embraces the Torrenza ecosystem
development initiative.” How Raza Microelectronics will embrace Torrenza technology was
not mentioned. AMD has mentioned that the company will offer
embedded processors for its K8L architecture, and by using HTX and HT-3
interconnects from its K8L processors. The push to consolidate all of AMD's
interests into a MIPs-only corporation is perhaps the largest moved by AMD thus
far to prove its commitment to the co-processor model.

Both companies are
working on a seamless transition process to ease the transition processor for
AMD Alchemy customers. There’s no word on whether Raza Microelectronics will
continue to market under the Alchemy name or use its own product naming.

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